The Truth About Heaven
by Xanatara
Summary: After being attacked by someone who has been threatening her life over the past four months, Hermione Granger is in St. Mungo's, completely helpless, when the Minister brings in her new bodyguard and assistant-Draco Malfoy. Postwar-Doesn't follow epilogue
1. Chapter One

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter universe, nor do I own the rights to the song, The Truth About Heaven by Armor For Sleep, from which I have borrowed that title. No copyright infringement intended.**

**AN: This story idea randomly came into my mind yesterday morning, and I went with it as it developed in my mind throughout the day. The story title may change in time, and this story has nothing to do with the poll that is currently on my page. Vote and review, please. :)**

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**Chapter One: Patience Is A Virtue**

In all of her twenty-one years, Hermione Jean Granger hadn't felt as helpless as she did now since she was four and a half years old.

Stuck in a hospital bed in the Intensive Care Ward of at St. Mungo's, Hermione had to have healers, her friends, family, and, occasionally, co-workers help her to _everything_. They had to help her sit up, lie down, turn her to her sides to sleep, feed her, bathe her, turn pages in books, magazines, and news papers when she wanted to read, scratch the places that itched, and, Merlin, even help her use the _loo_. Thank the gods that Ginny, her mother, or Mrs. Weasley were there everyday, switching days that they could come in when not busy with work or family.

Hermione had been hit exactly one month, three days, fifteen hours, and twenty nine minutes ago with a particularly nasty curse. No one knew what it was, nor the effects, temporary or permanent, were-not even the former Hogwarts book worm. For the first few days, she could only blink, but Hermione was nothing if not persistent and a fighter.

Hermione had just woken up a few minutes ago, and with the help of Harry, was now sitting up in bed eating some breakfast, when the Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, walked in.

"Good morning Hermione, Harry," He greeted them.

"Morning," Hermione mumbled through a bite of toast she was chewing.

"Harry, would you mind stepping outside for a moment? I'd like to speak with Hermione alone about her new assistant."

"Of course, Minister," Harry replied and kissed Hermione's forehead and walked out of the room, most likely to go get some tea.

"You found an Auror whom is willing to be my new assistant?" She asked the former Order of the Phoenix member.

"Yes. He's the top Auror and was second in your class, after you, at Hogwarts. You know him." Kingsley explained. "Draco, could you come in here?" He called.

In walked Draco Malfoy. Hermione's breath lightly caught in her chest, making it slightly harder for her to breathe than normal.

"Hello, Hermione," Draco greeted her softly, probably trying not to startle her.

After the war, Harry, Hermione, and Draco had become friends. Ron, however, remained stubborn. Though he was civil towards the only Malfoy heir, he was not often seen at dinners, parties, and get togethers where Draco was also attending. Hermione and Draco were closer than Harry was to Draco, and went out for lunch or dinner once a week, typically on Saturdays, their least busy days of the week, and talked about life, work, love, books, everything.

"Hi," she said breathlessly.

Kingsley stood. "Do you need a potion, Hermione?"

"No, no, Minister. It's just a little harder to breathe today, is all," she explained. "Can someone get me some water, though? My throat feels dry…" she trailed off, her eyes closed and her head drooping to the left.

"Hermione?" Draco asked, hoping that she was only trying to doze off. "Hermione?" He said, shaking her shoulder lightly. "Hermione! Kingsley, get a healer in here!"


	2. Chapter Two

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I own the song, The Truth About Heaven, from which I have borrowed the title of this story. The rights to that song belong to Armor For Sleep. No copyright infringement intended.**

**AN: Yay! Chapter two! R&R please!**

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**Chapter Two: Good Things Come To Those Who Wait**

Two days, five hours, and forty nine minutes after Hermione blacked out, she awoke.

"Somebody turn down the bloody light," she mumbled. Her demand was quickly met, the light going down far enough so that the red that she could see behind the blackness of her eyelids. She could feel a soft hand, most likely Ginny's, holding her left hand, and a rougher hand, Harry's, holding her right. They both gently squeezed her hands in a show of support and relief that she had finally woken up.

Hermione opened her eyes to half slits and saw that Ron sat in a chair next to Ginny, glaring down at the bed, no doubt due to the fact that Draco was sitting in the corner of the room. Hermione noticed that George sat on Harry's side, and Percy at the end of the bed, looking directly at her, had he not been completely buried behind the Daily Prophet.

"What happened?" Hermione asked, her voice raspy. Harry grabbed a plastic cup that no doubt held ice cold water and extended the cup towards her and offered her the straw, which, with the help of Ginny who helped her sit up slightly, she was able to drink from.

Draco stood and walked forward. Ginny moved out of her chair, shoving Ron out of his so Draco could sit where Ginny had. Ron, glaring daggers at Draco, moved and leaned against the wall.

"You blacked out," Draco spoke softly, his head bowed and his hands playing with the side of the blanket. "Normally, I would say something about how it was undoubtedly the shock of seeing my gorgeous face, but it seems as if I am unable to joke about your health at this moment." He looked up at her, relief, sadness, and, for some unknown reason to her at this moment, anger. "I'm sorry I shocked you, Hermione. I just...I think I can protect you from whoever is trying to harm you."

He grabbed her hand at that moment, and gently squeezed it, even gentler than Harry or Ginny had. For some unknown reason, he gasped and looked up at her in shock.

"What?" The two oldest Weasley boys, and Harry, demanded. Ginny looked at Hermione with nearly the same shock as Draco had on his face, and Ron just looked on, as confused as Hermione felt.

"Hermione, do that again." Draco requested quietly.

"Do what? I have no idea what you're talking about, Draco." Hermione was slightly panicked now. What in the name of Merlin was Draco going on about?

"Potter, get the healer in here. She just squeezed my hand." Draco explained.

* * *

"So she can go home in two weeks, but they want her to come in for check-ups twice a week and not to leave her bed for a month, minimum? You know she's not going to be thrilled about that, right?" Harry said in a hushed tone.

"Yes, this is why I'd like for you to buy her books. Lots of books. Minister Shacklebolt doesn't want her anywhere near her paperwork. That, and the healer ordered it. He doesn't want her working for six months, if she continues to make the progress that she is. She really isn't going to be thrilled about that-I know how dedicated she is to her work." Draco explained in an equally hushed tone.

What they didn't know was that Hermione was very much awake and could hear them. '_Thank the Gods I get to go home-wait, what? No work? But…what about all of my cases? All of my paperwork? I'll just have to reason with Kingsley. Yes, that's what I'll do-reason with him.' _Hermione thought.

"It also means that I have to move in with her. I'll have to be able to be around her twenty-four/seven. I know _Ron_," Draco bit out. Saying his name was probably difficult for him because he had been taught from a young age to hate the Weasley's. "Won't like that I have to move in with his girlfriend, but it's on both the Minister and healer's orders."

"_Ex_-girlfriend. We're no longer dating." Hermione chimed in. She yawned, finally able to, and attempted to move her right arm, to rub her eyes, but was frustrated when her arm wouldn't move more than a couple centimeters off of the bed. "Bloody hell!" She swore. "Can someone rub my eyes? They itch." She said in a slightly whiny voice.

"Look, Mione, I know you're frustrated, but whiny is not your thing. Leave that to Ron and Cho." Harry joked as he gently rubbed her eyes.

"I don't understand why I can't heal faster! I recovered from the Polyjuice Potion cat hair mishap in two weeks, but this? I've been stuck here for more than a month! Nearly _two_ months." She ranted.

"Polyjuice Potion cat hair mishap?" Draco questioned. "Do tell." He grinned like the cat that got the canary.

"That's more of the Malfoy I knew." Harry sighed. "I have to get to work, but I'll swing by later and bring you a sandwich from The Leaky Cauldron," He promised.

"Ooooh, the Weird Sisters Turkey Ham & Cheddar special?" Hermione asked excitedly.

"Wouldn't get you anything less." He teased. He kissed her forehead, nodded towards Draco, and left, casting a smile over his shoulder as he left.

She looked over to her left and found that Draco was back in his original spot in the corner.

"Why do you always sit in the corner, the farthest away from me?" Hermione demanded.

"Easier to see who is coming and going by your room." Draco said shortly.

"You're afraid, aren't you?" She whispered.

He sighed and put his elbows on his knees, leaning forward to rub his hands over his face. "Yes," He said. "I'm afraid that you aren't going to be back to who you are, the girl, I'm sorry, the _woman_, who brightens up even the darkest of places with her intelligence and thirst for knowledge, who has a smile that lights up an entire universe. I've spoken with your parents-you are the light of their life. I can only hope that when I get married and have children, they are even a fraction of what you are to them." He admitted.

She sniffled and gave a watery smile. "Now you've gone and made me cry." She said with an equally watery laugh.

"You've turned me into a sap over these years with those muggle films of yours, so we're even." He teased.

"C'mere," she demanded teasingly.

"Why?" He asked wearily.

"I want a hug and I can't exactly get up and walk over there, now can I?"

He walked over and pulled her up gently and wrapped his arms around her small body. He pulled back and she turned her head to kiss his cheek, just as he turned his head, most likely to do the same, and their lips met.

Magic flowed through them, making Hermione feel warm and protected and _safe_. She lifted her right arm up and wrapped it around his neck to pull him closer. He ran his hand from her shoulder down to her wrist, when suddenly, she pulled back in surprise and gasped.

"I can move my arms!" She exclaimed as she tested her left arm. Her left arm moved up and down, just as her right arm did, and left and right, but nothing else.

"I'm going to go get the healer. You might be able to go home by the end of the week!" Draco sounded excited. He kissed her again and ran out the door.

"If only I could get back to work that much faster." Hermione mumbled wistfully.


	3. Chapter Three

**Disclaimer: Same as always, though the title to this chapter belongs to Blue October, whos most recent CD is titled Foiled For The Last Time. **

**AN: This chapter is dedicated to my new favorite reviewer, romanceaddict3320. Here's your longer chapter. :D**

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**Chapter Three: Foiled For The Last Time**

The following Thursday, two days after her release from St. Mungo's and her first check up later that afternoon, Hermione and Draco were sitting in her living room in her two story, four bedroom, three bathroom home in the suburbs of London, her reading Pride and Prejudice, _again_, him the Daily Prophet, when she turned off the muggle radio and sighed, flipping another page in her book.

Draco lowered his paper and looked at her. "What?" He asked. He sat in an arm chair that faced towards the couch she was sprawled out on, her wheel chair in the corner of the room.

"Nothing," She said, shaking her head. "It's just…you know you're either in love or have been in love when all of the stupid love songs start to make sense."

"Like what? What about that song made sense?" He asked, setting his paper aside. He leaned forward now, highly interested in the conversation.

"Well, the line, 'When _everything's made to be broken, I just want you to know who I am_', he's saying that when the world is over and everything is falling down in ruins around you, he just wants the person to know who he truly is and that he loves them." She explained, rather sure of herself.

"You got all of that from those two lines in that song?" He asked, disbelief strong in his voice.

"What do you get from those lines?" She asked him, struggling to push herself up to sit against the armrest.

"Well," he began, as he got up and helped her into a comfortable position. He sat on the coffee table in front of the couch and looked directly at her. "I got the fact that he thinks that when everything should be broken, he wants someone who to know he is." He grinned at her.

"Draco," she groaned. She slapped him lightly on the arm, but he played along and pretended to be hurt. "I swear, sometimes I think you are nothing but a heartless bully."

He knew she was joking, but decided to go along with it. "If I was a heartless bully, would I be here taking care of you, when I could be out there, capturing up so Death Eaters that helped cause me and my mum nothing but pain?" His tone was light and joking, and he quickly stood and tickled her lightly around her middle, going directly for her sides, which he knew from previous tickle fights she was most ticklish, and she squealed, her arms and legs flying in her attempt to fight him off through her laughter.

Right then, Harry Potter walked in the door with two brown paper bags. "You know, if you're going to do…_that_…think maybe you could take it to your bedroom, 'Mione?" He teased.

"You always have the worst timing, Potter," Draco teased in a drawl. "I almost had her under my spell."

"Oh, bugger off, Malfoy. I brought lunch." Harry told him, setting the bags on Hermione's dining room table. He walked into the living room and got her wheelchair next to the couch so he could help Draco get her into it.

With Harry standing behind the couch and Draco in front, the turned her so that she was facing forwards and sitting completely upright, when Hermione snickered.

"What?" Draco demanded as Harry came round to the front of the couch and put an arm under her legs, the other going under her arms, around her middle, Draco doing the same so they could lift her into the chair. Though she was hardly heavy by any means, it was easier if both wizards helped her into the chair, rather than just one.

"Nothing. I'm just sandwiched in between you two." Hermione snickered again, a hand coming up to cover her mouth as they got her settled into the chair.

"What's that got to do with-oh." Harry realized.

"Yes, Harry, oh." Hermione continued her tease.

"If you're done making jokes, I'm hungry." Draco said, pushing her to the table. He got her in her place and gave her the food, and soon all three were eating.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said through a bite of her chicken sandwich, trying to keep a completely straight face. "I mean, you're both amazingly gorgeous wizards, but Harry, you're married and have a baby, and Draco, you are completely unattainable."

She tried to keep her face as straight as possible, but as soon as she was done with the bite of her sandwich, she burst into laughter.

"Draco, how much pain potion did you give her today?" Harry asked curiously.

"I didn't. Healer Dawsen doesn't want her to have it until after her check up later today."

"Hermione," Harry addressed the still laughing young woman. "What were the colors of the potions you had today?"

"Let's see," She said. She stopped her laughing, the seriousness in Harry's voice ruining her fun mood. "There was a blue one, dark blue, an emerald green one, a white one, an orange one, that one didn't taste like orange juice like _he_," she pointed at Draco. "Promised it would. Tasted like cat vomit. Oh, and there was a magenta one! That one wasn't so bad-had a peppermint and chocolate taste to it."

"Two things," Draco said through a chuckle. "One, how do you know what cat vomit tastes like, and two, why did you take the emerald green one? I told you not to."

"Two answers. One, I was three, bored, and my mum wasn't paying attention. It looked like Play Dough. Two, I took it because I knew what it was and I needed it."

She saw Harry's confused expression and then explained. "It's supposed to help with the headaches, the emerald green potion, but it doesn't lately. I think I'm having migraines, not headaches."

"We'll talk to Healer Dawsen at your appointment today." Harry told her.

"You're not going?" Hermione asked Draco.

"No, I have to go into the office and speak with a few people, but I'll be here when you get back." Draco told her. Her face dropped and she set her water down on the table.

"But I want you there…" She whispered so quietly, Harry missed it completely but Draco didn't.

He stood and pushed her into the living room and crouched down so he was eye level with her and lifted her chin with a finger gently. "You want me to go with you instead of Harry?" He asked her gently.

She nodded.

"Why?"

"You've helped me more. I feel comfortable at St. Mungo's with you there. You make me feel safe. I've been foiled for the last time, and they make me feel like I might get hurt again. " The last part was said so quietly, Draco thought that she didn't want him to hear that part, but he had. Auror training had made his hearing even better than it had been before. It was one of the many things the training honed not only because it helped on missions, but because it helped save lives.

"Don't worry," He whispered. He picked up her hand and kissed the back of it. He said the next part into the back of her hand, the words slightly muffled. "I'll be there."

And every word was a promised of not just being at her appointments, but for in the future, too.


	4. Chapter Four

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of Harry Potter but I do, however, own this plot. **

**AN: There is a scene in this chapter, the very last one, in fact, that took me many times to write. I re-wrote it over and over, and I'm still not completely happy with it, but I will do. I particularly enjoyed romanceaddict3320's review in which she said "**i think that he's trying to say is that everythin about him is made to be broken, like his heart, his strength and stuff and he doesn't care if she breaks him down and breaks his heart as long as she knows him and understands that he loves her and what she's doing.**" This chapter is again, dedicated to her. :)**

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**Chapter Four: But Life Goes On, Even Under The Hardest Circumstances**

"Alright Miss Granger, I have your test results right here." Healer Dawsen said as he stepped back into the examination room. It was nearing five in the evening, and Hermione and Draco had been at St. Mungo's since half past two. "It seems like you're healing up just fine and regaining your strength just on the schedule that I predicted. I wouldn't be surprised that if by Friday in two weeks time, you would be able to stand and walk small distances. Now, about those migraines, yes, they are migraines. Very good job figuring that out when a healer couldn't," The healer praised her. She grinned and Draco stifled a laugh. He pulled out a piece of parchment with potion instructions on it and handed it to Draco who immediately began looking it over, searching for anything that they didn't have already. "Here is a potion that works very well. Not only have my patients gotten good results, I myself have, as well."

All three chuckled. "Now, Mr. Malfoy, if you could step out so I might talk with Miss Granger alone…?"

"Of course." Draco agreed. He squeezed Hermione's hand and said, "I'll be right outside if you need me, okay?" She nodded and he left the room.

"Tell me, Miss Granger, how are you?" Healer Kevin Dawsen asked.

"I'm fine. It's been so great having Draco around to help me and get my mind off of my disabilities at this point. He's helping me make a lot of progress, and I am deeply grateful for him, and for the fact that Minister Shacklebolt hired him to take care of me." Hermione told him. She knew that wasn't what he was asking about, but she didn't want to talk about _that_ now. If possible, she wanted to completely forget it.

"Miss Granger, I know that you know that wasn't what I was referring to-"

But she cut him off.

"I don't-I _can't_ talk about that. Right now, I just want to focus on getting better, returning to work, and facing my future, taking it one day at a time. And forgetting that is what it's going to take to completely get on with my life." She ranted. "Now, if we're finished here, I'd like to go home. Draco?" She called loud enough for him to hear.

"Yes?" He peaked his head into the room, the rest of him blocked by the door.

"I'm ready to go." She told him in an even tone that betrayed no emotions of what had just happened between her and the healer.

"All right. Let's get you home and relaxing." He strode into the room, nodded at the healer, and unlocked the wheels on her chair, moving her out of the room. "See you on Sunday, Healer Dawsen." He called as they left.

But what Hermione didn't know was that through her entire rant, Draco was listening and had heard every word.

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"You know," Hermione began through a bite of chow mien from their Chinese takeout that they had for dinner that night. "Even without those bloody moronic Aurors that you have hired as your team, none of them could have stopped this. Not even the one that was supposed to be watching me at the time of the attack. Did you know he hadn't shown up for his shift in over a month?" She told him.

"He WHAT?!" Draco roared.

"Draco, no one could have seen this coming. Not even Trelawney could have seen this one." She joked.

"That miserable excuse-Who was it?" Draco demanded. He took a bit of sweet and sour chicken, furious at the man who had put Hermione in even more danger.

"Evan Adams." She told him. "But I'm already planning on suing the Ministry and the Auror department, excluding you and the Minister from my case."

"Well, his arse is going to be fired first thing in the morning." He growled.

"Draco, I was totally fine without him," Hermione said setting down her fork and looking sternly at him. "I don't need protection all the time. I am perfectly capable of protecting myself."

"Yeah? Then why'd you get attacked without protection when you are "perfectly capable" of protecting yourself?" He shot back.

Her expression froze into one of shock and anger, which slowly melted into sadness and outrage.

"Oh, Merlin, Hermione, I didn't mean that-"

"I don't want to hear it. Get out." She told him. She rolled herself into the living room, strength in her arms having returned partially earlier that day after attempting to push herself upright in bed.

"Hermione, you need me here. Let me stay here until Potter or Ginny or _someone _can come here and help you." He pleaded.

"I don't need you or anyone to help me." She growled. "Now, get out of my house." She told him with finality.

And he left.

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Three days later, Draco walked into Harry Potter's office at the Ministry in the Auror office, and plopped down onto the chair in front of his desk and put his head in his hands.

"What's up, Malfoy?" Harry asked, looking at a folder in his hands.

"I got an owl saying Hermione didn't show up to her appointment yesterday." Draco told him, talking into his hands, his words slightly muffled.

"Why didn't you take her in?" Harry asked, setting down the folder.

"She didn't tell you?" Draco asked incredulously.

"I haven't been there since Thursday for lunch. Wait, Draco. Who's with her now?" Harry asked, suddenly suspicious.

"What about Ginny?" Draco snapped. "Has she been there?"

"No, she's been with James. She's not willing to let Molly, Mrs. Weasley, take care of him yet."

"Damnit! We need to go to her now, Potter!" Draco shouted. If no one had been there, then that meant…

That meant something bad was what they were going to see when they got there.

Harry grabbed Draco's arm and Appaperated them both directly into Hermione's home, her wards allowing them both immediate entrance, straight into her living room.

"Help me. _Please_, just someone, _anyone_, help me…" they heard her moan.

Both wizards ran into the kitchen where Hermione was sprawled on her back in the middle of the kitchen floor. Draco ran to her, helping her sit up against him, but she flinched as soon as he touched her.

"Out, I want him out, Harry." She gasped out, her breathing labored. Harry flicked his eyes towards the living room, signaling that that's where Draco should go. Draco handed Hermione over to Harry, and left the room angrily.


End file.
